- Applies to: New Zealand
- Last verified Oct 6, 2026
Quote Template NZ: Copyable Layout and How to Write a Quote
Short answer: A good quote template sets out who you are, who the customer is, exactly what the job includes and excludes, the price broken into labour, materials and extras, whether GST is included, how long the price holds, any deposit, and how changes will be priced. In New Zealand an accepted quote is a firm price: Consumer Protection says the provider cannot charge more unless the customer agrees to extra work or the scope changes. An estimate is only a best guess, and the final bill should generally land within 10–15% of it. Copy the layout below.
The consumer rules here come from Consumer Protection’s page on quotes and estimates and the layout follows business.govt.nz’s guide on how to prepare a quote. GST is 15% in the 2027 tax year (1 April 2026 – 31 March 2027). When the job is done, the NZ invoice template takes over, and GST in NZ explains GST-inclusive and GST-exclusive prices.
What should a quote include?
A quote should include everything that makes up the price and everything the customer could otherwise argue about. Business.govt.nz lists time, labour, materials (including fixtures and fittings), subcontractor costs, extras such as consent or permit fees and admin costs, GST, and terms and conditions, especially payment terms such as when you will invoice.
| Section | What to write | Why it matters |
|---|---|---|
| Your details | Name or trading name, contact details, GST number if registered | The customer knows who they are contracting with |
| Customer and job address | Name, site address, phone or email | Ties the quote to one job |
| Quote number and dates | Number, date issued, valid-until date | Matches the invoice later; supplier prices move |
| Scope of work | What you will do, with quantities, sizes and products | The price covers only what is written |
| Exclusions | What you will not do | Stops “I thought that was included” |
| Price breakdown | Labour, materials, subcontractors, extras | Shows how you reached the total |
| GST | Included, excluded, or “not GST registered” | The customer must know before they accept |
| Deposit and payment terms | Amount, when it is due, when you invoice | Protects your cash flow |
| Variations | How changes are priced and agreed | Keeps extras from turning into disputes |
| Acceptance | Signature or written reply | Turns your offer into an agreement |
Quote template (copy this)
Copy this into a document, spreadsheet or quoting app. Fields in square brackets are yours to replace.
QUOTE
[Your name or trading name]
[Street address, town] · [Phone] · [Email]
GST number: [000-000-000, or "Not GST registered"]
Quote number: [Q-2026-001]
Date: [day month year]
Valid until: [day month year]
Prepared for:
[Customer name]
[Job address]
[Phone or email]
Scope of work
[What you will do, step by step, with quantities, sizes and the
products or finish you have allowed for]
Not included
[Anything the customer might assume is included, e.g. consent
fees, rubbish removal, painting, work by other trades]
Description Qty Rate Amount
[Labour] [0 hrs] [$0.00] [$0.00]
[Materials] [1] [$0.00] [$0.00]
[Subcontractor or extras] [1] [$0.00] [$0.00]
Subtotal (excl. GST) [$0.00]
GST at 15% [$0.00]
Total (incl. GST) [$0.00]
Type of price: [Fixed price / Fixed price with provisional sums / Estimate]
Deposit: [e.g. 30% of the total, invoiced on acceptance]
Payment: [e.g. balance invoiced on completion, due in 7 days]
Changes: Any change to the scope will be priced and agreed in
writing (email is fine) before the extra work is done.
Accepted by: ______________________ Date: ___________If you are not GST registered, delete the GST lines, show a single total and write “Not GST registered: no GST will be charged”.
What does a filled-in builder quote look like?
Here is the template completed by a GST-registered builder for a deck. The names and numbers are made up.
QUOTE · Hemi Walker Building · 5 Example Avenue, Tauranga · GST number 123-456-789 Quote Q-2026-031 · Date 6 October 2026 · Valid until 5 November 2026 Prepared for: Jo Tane · 18 Sample Crescent, Mount Maunganui
Scope: Build a 24 m² timber deck at the back of the house, 600 mm above ground: H5 piles, H3.2 framing, 140 mm H3.2 pine decking with stainless fixings, and two steps to the lawn. Not included: Building consent or council fees if any are required, staining or oiling, moving garden beds, outdoor lighting.
| Description | Qty | Rate | Amount |
|---|---|---|---|
| Labour | 40 hrs | $85.00 | $3,400.00 |
| Piles, framing, decking and fixings | 1 | $5,200.00 | $5,200.00 |
| Skip bin hire | 1 | $350.00 | $350.00 |
| Subtotal (excl. GST) | $8,950.00 | ||
| GST at 15% | $1,342.50 | ||
| Total (incl. GST) | $10,292.50 |
Type of price: fixed price for the scope above. Deposit: 30% ($3,087.75), invoiced on acceptance. Balance: invoiced on completion, due in 7 days. Changes: priced and agreed by email before the work is done.
The exclusions do the heavy lifting: if the council wants a consent or Jo asks for the deck to be oiled, that is new work, not a dispute about this price.
How do you write a quote, step by step?
- See the job and get the brief in writing. Measure, take photos and note anything that could change the price, such as access or ground conditions.
- Price it. Add up labour hours at your rate, materials at your supplier’s price plus your margin, subcontractors and extras. Business.govt.nz’s guide on how to price a job covers margins and overheads.
- Choose the type of price. Business.govt.nz describes three: a fixed price with labour, materials and overheads built in; a fixed price plus, which builds in room for changes, for example a provisional cost confirmed once the design is final; and cost reimbursement or labour-only, which is an estimate where you charge actual costs.
- Write the scope and the exclusions. Vague scope is where most pricing arguments start.
- State GST. Say whether prices include or exclude GST, or that you are not registered.
- Set a validity date and the deposit. Fourteen or 30 days is common for materials-heavy work because supplier prices move. Say how much deposit you want and when.
- Explain variations. Business.govt.nz notes that most variation clauses require changes to be recorded in writing, and a short email can do it. Its page on variations to contracts explains how.
- Get acceptance in writing. A signature or an email reply saying “accepted” is your evidence of the agreed price.
What is the difference between a quote and an estimate in NZ?
A quote is a firm price for the described job; an estimate is a best guess. Consumer Protection’s quotes and estimates page sets out the difference from the customer’s side:
| Quote | Estimate | |
|---|---|---|
| What it is | An offer to do the job for a specified price | Your best guess of the cost, based on skill and experience |
| Can the final price change? | Not once accepted, unless the customer agrees to extra work or the scope changes | Yes, but it should generally be within 10–15% |
| Verbal or written? | Put it in writing | Can be either; there is no legal difference |
| Best for | Jobs you can scope fully before starting | Repairs, renovations and anything with unknowns |
“Quotation” means the same thing as quote. The risk is in mislabelling: if you call a document a quote, expect to be held to it. If you can see a job running past your estimate, tell the customer before you carry on, not on the invoice. A pro forma invoice is a third document again, used after agreement and before supply; proforma invoice explains when it helps.
Should a quote include GST?
Your quote must make the GST position clear before the customer accepts. Consumer Protection says a price can include or exclude GST, but the provider must make it clear beforehand, and the Fair Trading Act prohibits misleading pricing.
- Household customers: quote the GST-inclusive total, the amount they will actually pay.
- Business customers: quote GST-exclusive with GST shown separately, because they claim the GST back.
- Not GST registered: do not add GST. If you register between quoting and invoicing, agree in writing whether GST is added to the quoted price.
On the deck above, “$8,950 + GST” and “$10,292.50 incl. GST” are the same price; writing just “$8,950” leaves room for an argument about $1,342.50.
What happens after the customer accepts the quote?
Once accepted, the quote is the price you work to:
- Invoice the deposit if you asked for one. If you are GST registered, a deposit received under an unconditional agreement triggers the GST time of supply, so it can affect your next return.
- Record every variation in writing as it is agreed, with its price.
- Invoice on completion for the quoted price plus agreed variations, less the deposit. The invoice should match the quote line for line, so the customer can check it quickly.
- Construction work has extra rules: payment claims under the Construction Contracts Act need set content. How to invoice as a contractor in NZ covers them.
Quote to invoice on your phone, and where does Keel fit?
Retyping an accepted quote into an invoice is where lines go missing.
Keel: Invoice Maker & Receipts, an iPhone app by Ilura Technology OÜ, removes that step: you write the estimate in Keel, and when the customer accepts it, it becomes the invoice in one tap. The estimate, receipts, expenses and invoice stay under the same job and customer, and “who owes you” prepares reminder drafts that you review and send yourself; nothing is sent automatically. Records stay on your iPhone, with no account, no bank connection and no cloud sync, and the App Store privacy label reads “Data Not Collected”.
Keel is a record keeper, not a compliance tool: it does not file GST returns or connect to Inland Revenue, so check that your quotes state the GST position clearly. It is free with no invoice limit (free invoices carry a small “Made with Keel” footer), and Keel Lifetime is a one-time purchase of $249.99 USD (the App Store shows your local price) that adds custom branding, signature, premium templates and accountant-ready exports and reports. Keel on the App Store. More guides are on the New Zealand hub, and choosing an invoice app has a checklist for quoting apps.
Frequently asked questions
How do I write a quote for a job in NZ? Price the labour, materials, subcontractors and extras, then write the scope and what is not included. State the GST position, how long the price is valid, the deposit and how variations will be agreed, and ask the customer to accept in writing.
Is a quote legally binding in NZ? Once the customer accepts it, the quoted price is the price. Consumer Protection says the provider cannot charge more unless the customer agrees to extra work or the scope changes while the job is underway. That is why a written scope and exclusions matter: they define what the price covers.
What is the difference between a quote and an estimate? A quote is an offer to do the job for a specified price. An estimate is your best guess of the cost, and Consumer Protection says the final price should generally be within 10–15% of it. An estimate can be verbal or written with no legal difference, but a written one avoids arguments.
How long should a quote be valid for? Set your own period and print the date on the quote. Fourteen or 30 days is common for materials-heavy jobs, because supplier prices change; after that date you can re-price.
Should I ask for a deposit? For jobs where you buy materials up front, a deposit is common practice and protects your cash flow. State the amount and when it is due on the quote, and invoice it when the quote is accepted. If you are GST registered, the deposit can trigger GST for the period it arrives.
Do I have to include GST in a quote? You must make it clear. Consumer Protection says a price can include or exclude GST as long as the customer is told beforehand. Quote households the GST-inclusive total, and if you are not GST registered, do not add GST at all.
This article is general information, not legal or tax advice. Consult a qualified New Zealand professional for your situation.
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